What Is Embraer’s Smallest Business Jet?

Embraer is one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers. The Brazil-based company is well known for its commercial aircraft line, the Embraer E-Jet family. This includes the Embraer 170, Embraer 175, Embraer 190, and Embraer 195, which range from 65 to 125 passengers. It also produced the E-Jet E2 family and upgraded variants of the E-Jet family. The company previously produced the ERJ family, a smaller aircraft with 35 and 50 passengers. These aircraft are currently operated as regional jetliners for large airlines worldwide.

Photo: Rudzenka | Shutterstock

The company has also historically manufactured military aircraft for the Brazilian military and other governments worldwide. These include trainers like the EMB 312 Tucano, attack jets like the EMB 314 Super Tucano, and transport aircraft like the Embraer C-390 Millennium.

However, Embraer is also known for its production of business jets. Previously, the Brazilian manufacturer produced the Embraer Lineage 1000, a business jet based on the E-Jet family. It also manufactured the Legacy family of aircraft, which ranged from a midsize to a large cabin. Currently, the company produces the Praetor family based on the legacy family of jets and the Phenoms. The Phenom 300 is the world’s most popular business jet, and it has been the best-selling business jet every year for the past 12 years.

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However, one of Embraer’s most overlooked business jets is the smallest one it builds. This aircraft is the Embraer Phenom 100. This aircraft, which is a very light business jet, has been built since the late 2000s. Let’s take a closer look at the Phenom 100 and what makes this aircraft so unique.

Brief history

As previously mentioned, the Embraer Phenom 100 was launched in the early 2000s. Specifically, in 2005, Embraer decided it wanted to venture into the smaller side of the business jet industry. The company’s board of directors approved two projects, a very light business jet and a light business jet, that would allow Embraer to become dominant in the industry, hopefully within the next ten years.

The company launched its very light business jet, which would later be designated as the Phenom 100, in November 2005. The other business jet, which was slightly larger and fell into the light business jet class, would later be designated as the Phenom 300.

Photo: Embraer

The Phenom 100 was a clean-sheet design that was set to undergo several years of extensive design, although Embraer built a prototype quickly. It accompanied this prototype with a new Garmin G1000 electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) and newly certified Pratt & Whitney PW617-F turbofan engines. The aircraft underwent ground testing in June 2007 and flew for the first time on July 26, 2007.

The Embraer Phenom 100 would then go through flight testing at its Gaviao Peixoto facility for the next year and a half. The following year, both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Authority awarded the aircraft its type certificate. Deliveries of the Phenom 100 began in late December 2008.

Since the aircraft’s introduction, Embraer has made several significant upgrades to modernize the business jet. The first upgrade included multifunction spoilers and upgraded engines and was designated the Phenom 100E. A few years later, Embraer announced the Phenom 100EV Evolution. This variant included more powerful engines and weight savings that helped the aircraft’s rate of climb to altitude, and it reduced the required takeoff distance.

The Phenom 100EV Evolution also added the new Garmin G3000 avionics suite. Most recently, Embraer announced the Phenom 100EX. This included several avionics improvements like the runway overrun awareness and alerting system (ROAAS).

Notable features

The Phenom 100 is a typical business jet design with a low wing, T-tail, retractable tricycle landing gear, and two rear-mounted engines. About 20% of the aircraft’s airframe is estimated to be made from composite materials. Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617-F turbofan engines power the Phenom 100. These each provide the aircraft with nearly 1,700 pounds of force of thrust and come installed with dual full authority digital engine controls (FADEC). Upgraded variants of the Phenom 100 utilize Pratt & Whitney Canada engines that can reach 1,800 pounds-force of thrust.

Photo: Embraer

Inside the aircraft, the cabin has an ovular fuselage that typically fits four to five passengers. However, the Phenom 100’s maximum capacity is seven passengers if one passenger sits in the cockpit and another utilizes the belted lavatory seat. Per Liberty Jet, the cabin has the following dimensions:

• Cabin height: 4.9 feet
• Cabin width: 5.1 feet
• Cabin length: 11 feet

Other performance measures

The very light business jet entered a very competitive market, but it found immediate success. The aircraft has the following specifications:

The aircraft also has impressive landing and takeoff mechanics. It can land on a runway just over 2,400 feet long and take off on runways under 3,200 feet long. The Phenom 100 has impressive handling characteristics that allow the aircraft to reach a minimum control speed of just 97 knots (110 miles per hour).